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Compiled by and Ó Stelios Jackson
New edition of Clogg's Concise History of Greece, due March 2002
For the moment we are just including the English language books that we stock on Modern Greek history. Remember: None of our second hand books appear here, so if you're after a specific title that's not listed below, e-mail us
Click on a book to go to that period of history
All Books can be ordered securely through our server using Amex, Mastercard, Visa, Switch or Solo; please click on title for prices and further information,
The 19th Century Revolution and Onwards
The Catastrophe The Asia-Minor disaster 1922
Between the Wars 1923-1940
WWII 1940-1944
WWII CRETE
The Civil War 1943-1950
The Junta The Greek Colonels in Power 1967-74
General General Modern Greek History
Anthropology Studies of the Greek People
After 9 years of revolution the Greeks finally get their independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1929, the following year King Otho is crowned King of Greece...(books on the Greek war of Independence are like buses: you can wait years for one to turn up and then all of a sudden to arrive at the same time):
BREWER, David. THE FLAME OF FREEDOM. THE GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 1821-1833 (2001) Hardback. New. MODHIS. The war to liberate Grece seized the romantic imagination of all Europe, but in reality it was confused and violent, and its outcome uncertain until the very end.For the Greeks, the fight for the independence from the Ottoman Empire was a cruel business, and its consquences far reaching. Today's Greece is much more the child of that struggle than it is of the Classical period we know so much better. Because of Ottoman oppression and its brutal end, hostility to Turkey still smoulders, as does suspicion that foreign powers manipulate Greece for their own ends. For much of the war the Greek cause looked hopless. The rebels could call only on lightly armed merchant ships and a long tradition of brigandage, which seemed no match for a formidable empire. Foreign philhellenes joined the Greek cause but foreign governments cared less for the Greeks than for the stabililty of Europe, hard-won by Napoleon's defeat. Nevertheless the Greeks won victories at sea, largley due to their use of terrifying fireships, and on land under the leadership of the charismatic Kolokotronis. Civil war then broke out among the Greeks, and for a time Kolokontronis swapped his tents for a prison cell. But support for Grece was growing, as all Europe was moved by Turkish massacres, by the death of Byron, most famous philhellene of all, and by the bloody invasion of the Peloponnese by Ottoman troops brought in by sea from Egypt. The govts. of Europe now demanded an end to the fighting, and an allied fleet under Admiral Codrington sailed to meet the Ottoman navy at Navarino Bay. Nervous fingers fired inevitable shots, sixty Turkish ships were sent to the sea bed, and Greek freedom was finely assured. This is a powerful fearsome and inspiring story,and David Brewer's book covers it fully for the first time in over a century, dealing evenhandledly with the courage, cunning and barbarism of Greeks and turks alike. Price: £ 25.00 Out of print. Hopefully there will be a paperback copy; if you wish to be informed, please let us know by mailing us
NEW PAROULAKIS Peter H. THE GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE 2000 New/Paper. 2ND Edition. first published 1984. as "The Greekls. Their Struggle for Independence."in a long period of bondage the Greeks believe their darkest years began when the great Byzantine capital Constantinope fell to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. For nearly four centuries generations of Greek suffered economic and intellectual poverty under Turkish occupaion, all the while maintaining an unshakeable desire for human dignity and liberty, a tribute inherited and retained over centuries from their Hellenic ancestors. in 1821 Greece rose up in bloody revolt against the oppresivfe might of the Ottoman Empire .Determined to end four hundred years of slavery or die in the attempt, Greek patriots began their unyielding struggle for liberty and independence. In this beautifully illustrated book the author depicts the cruel centuries of Turkish occupation and oppression. He analyses the causes of the War of independence and gives a vivid and and graphic decription of the bitter struggle that gave birth to the modern Greek nation.
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level)
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 3 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; pp123; Periodical,in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 3: The mist around Lala; A return to Seferis's 'Six nights on the Acropolis'by Nadia Charalambidou; Everyday spoken discourde in Modern Greek Cultures: Indexing through Performance by Alexandra Georgakopoulou; Exploring the Papers of Scottish Philhellene Thomas Gordon (1788-1841) by Agalaia Kasdagli; The 16th century Cretan Playright Georgios Chortatsis as a parodist by Anastasia Markomihelaki; Memory and Homelands: Vizyinos, Papadiamantis and Geographical Imagination by Robert Shannan Peckham
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 5 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical,in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 5: Writing, Identity and Truth in Kazantzakis's novel: 'The Last Temptation' by Roderick Beaton; The Image of Britain in the Literary Magazine 'Pandora' 1850-1872 by Sophia Denissi. The Australian Dimension of the Macedonian Question by Michael Jeffries; Gender, Sexuality and Narration in Kostas Tachtsis; The Ionain University of Smyrna, 1919-1922: "Light from the East" by Victoria Solomonides.
William W. McGrew: Land and Revolution in Modern Greece 1800-1881: The Transformation in the Tenure and Exploitation of Land from Ottoman Rule to Indepenedence ; MODHIS Cloth Demy 8vo; 1985; pp339 inc index.'... a detailed examination, not just how an agricultural economy struggled to revive after generations of neglect (400 years of Ottoman rule) and years of destructive Civil War, but of the transition from Oriental land use and ownership paractices to those of the Western culture Greece was attempting to emulate...'
Paul Santa Cassia and Constantina Bada: The Making of the Modern Greek Family: Marriage and Exchange in 19th Century Athens. ; MODHIS cloth; pp278 inc index and bibliography; 8vo; '...relying on matrimonial contracts, travellers' accounts, memoirs and popular literature the authors show how distinctive forms of marriage, kinship and property transmission evolved in Athens in the 19th century...'
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 1 ; MODHIS MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp359 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and laguage. Contents of Volume 1:Greek Literature since National Independence by Roderick Beaton; Katharevoussa (c1800-1974): An obituary for an official language by Peter Mackridge; The Greek Economy by Jon Kofas; Women in Greek Society by Janet Hart; Contemporary Greek History for English readers: An attempt at a critical analysis by Marion Sarafis
Thanos Veremis: The Military in Greek Politics: From Independence to Democracy ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp227 inc index. How the military has been a part/interfered in Greek politics in the years between 1830 to 1974.
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History ; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
Greece's aim to get back its capital (Constantinople) from the Turks, known as the 'Megali idea', backfires in a catastrophic mannner, leading to one of the worse cases of ethnic cleansing ever seen in Europe as over 1,000,000 Greeks are kicked out of Asia-Minor and 300,000 Muslims are sent the opposite way...
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece; GCSEA01 MGH Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level )
Renee Hirschon: Heirs to the Greek Catastrophe: The Social Life of Asia Minor refugees in Piraeus. ; MODHIS; paperback; 8vo pp280 inc index; 1998 reprint of a book originally published by Oxford university press. Compelling study of the Greek intake of Orthodox Christians as part of the 'exchange of population' (ethnic cleansing) by Greece and Turkey as a result of the disasterous Greek attempt to claim back Constantinople in 1922 (the 'Megali Idea'), known in Greece as the 'Catastrophe'. Over a million Greeks were expelled from the Turkish controlled area of Asia Minor and 350,000 Muslims were sent the other way. For a detailed description of 'the Catastrophe' read Mary Dobkins 'Smyrna 1922' and for background read Llewellyn Smith's 'Ionian Vision' Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, this is a compelling and moving story of the Kokkinia are of Piraeus, important for anyone interested in anthropoligal and gender studies as well as learning a bit more about a neglected area of European history. A.S.
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 4 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 4: Pawns that never becam Queens: The Dodecanese Islands, 1912-1924 by Philip Carabott; The Fabrication of the Middle Ages: Roides's 'Pope Joan' by Ruth Macrides; Reflections on Kazantxakis and the Greek Language by Irene Philipppaki-Warburton; Greek Music in the 20th Century: A European Dimension by Guy Protheroe; The Poet as Witness: Titos Patrikios and the Legacy of the Greek Civil War by David Ricks; Greek Attitudes to the Spanish Civil War by Thanasis D. Sfikas.
Marjorie Housepian Dobkin: Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City. ; £14.95 MODHIS Paperback 8vo pp275 inc index. Welcome reprint of Housepian Dobkin's superb book on one of the great tragedies of 20th European history - one which the Great Powers allowed to happen. Whilst the destruction of the city of Smyrna is still mourned to this day by the Greeks and there is no doubt that the level of destruction by the Turks was barbarous, it should be pointed out that the Turks would blame the whole situation on the Greek 'Megali Idea' and their (The Greeks) attempt to occupy Smyrna as part of the ultimate goal of reclaiming Constantinople. The background to this is better explained in Michael LLewllyn Smith's book 'Ionian Vision: Greece in Asia Minor 1919-1922'S.J.
'Twice a Stranger': Greece, Turkey and the Minorities They Expelled. by Bruce Clark
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It was a massive, yet little-known landmark in modern history; in 1923, after a long war over the future of the Ottoman world, nearly two million citizens of Turkey or Greece were moved across the Aegean, expelled from their homes because they were the ‘wrong’ religion. Orthodox Christians were deported from Turkey to Greece. Muslims from Greece to Turkey. This had some bizarre results; Greek-speaking Muslims from Crete were shipped to Turkey, while Turkish-Speaking Christians were deported to Greece. At the time, world statesmen hailed the transfer as a solution to the problem of minorities who could not co-exist. Both governments saw the exchange as a chance to create societies where a single culture prevailed. And since 923, the exchange has been invoked by advocates of ethnic separation, from the Balkans to South Asia .But how did the people who crossed the Aegean feel about this exercise in ethnic engineering, and how did they come to terms with their new homelands. Bruce Clark’s fascinating account of these turbulent events drawn on new archival research in both Greece and Turkey, and interviews with some of the surviving refugees who lived through those years, allowing some of then people involved to speak for themselves for the first time. 2006. 300pp. Hardback. Order this book |
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 5 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical,in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 5: Writing, Identity and Truth in Kazantzakis's novel: 'The Last Temptation' by Roderick Beaton; The Image of Britain in the Literary Magazine 'Pandora' 1850-1872 by Sophia Denissi. The Australian Dimension of the Macedonian Question by Michael Jeffries; Gender, Sexuality and Narration in Kostas Tachtsis; The Ionain University of Smyrna, 1919-1922: "Light from the East" by Victoria Solomonides.
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 6 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical,in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 6: Greek Surrealist Poets in English Translation: Problems parametes and possibilities by David Connolly; Kazantzakis and Biography by Georgia Farinou-Malamatari; Variations on a Theme: Cavafy rewrites his own poems by Peter Mackridge. Modernism in Modern Greek Theatre (1895-1922) by Walter Puchner. "Berlin", Cyprus: Photography, Simulation and the Directed Gaxe in a Divided City by Paul Sant Cassia; Dimitrios Vikelas in the Diaspora: Memory, Character, Formation and Language by Dimitris Tziovas
John Van Der Kiste: Kings of the Hellenes: The Greek Kings 1863-1974 ; MODHIS paperback 8vo.pp 200 inc index with b/w photos within. At last an in-print book on Greece's erstwhile Royal family, charting the two different lines from King Otho and William (George the first!) who was a Schleswig- Holstein. You either love 'em or hate 'em if your Greek, but you can't ignore the lineage which is quintessential in understanding Greek history and politics over the last 170 years. Greeat stuff. S.J.
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 2 ; MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp152 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and language. Contents of Volume 2:From the Great Idea to Balkan Union by Procopius Papastratis; The Greek Communist Party 1941-1945: The Internal Debates on Seizing Power by Pericles Grambas; The Greek Civil war 1946-1949 Christophe Chiclet; The Experience of Civil War in the Mountain Villages of Greece by Anna Collard; The Colonels Dictatorship 1967-1974 by Robert McDonald; The Greek-Turkish Conflict by Heinz Richter £12.50
Michael Llewllyn Smith: Ionian Vision: Greece in Asia Minor 1919-1922 ; MODHIS Paperback pp401 inc index and 16 b/w photos. 8vo. Welcome reprint of Llewellyn Smith's seminal work on the lead up to 'the Catastrophe' in 1922, in which an 'exchange of populations' (ethnic cleansing) of the Greeks from modern day Turkey and Turks from Greece took place, sparked by an attempt by the Greeks to claim back land from Turkey in the name of the 'Great Idea' ('Megali Idea') The tragic events at Smyrna (now Izmir) are detailed more thoroughly in Marjorie Housepian Dobkin's book 'Smyrna 1922: The Destruction of a City'. S.J.
Thanos Veremis :The Military in Greek Politics: From Independence to Democracy ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp227 inc index. How the military has been a part/interfered in Greek politics in the years between 1830 to 1974.
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History ; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
Greece becomes a monarchy again and Metaxas seizes power...
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece ; GCSEA01 MGH Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level )
CROSSING THE AEGEAN., Studies in Forced migration. Vol. 12. An appraisal of the l923 compulsary population exchange between Greece and Turkey. Following the defeat of the Greek Army in 1922 by nationalist Turkish forces, the l923 Lausanne convention specified the first internationally ratified compulory population exchange. It proved to be a watershed in the eastern Mediterranean, having far-reaching costs both for the new Turkish Republic, and for Greece which had to absorb over a million refugees, Known as the Asia Minor Catastrophe by the Greeks, it also marked the establihsment of a new Turkish state with profound ramifications for both sides. The conequences of this event have receiv ed surprisingly little attention despite the considerable relevance for the contemporary situation in the Balkans, the Middle East and elswhere. This volume addresses the challenge of writing history form both sides of the Aegan and provides, for the first time, a forum for multidisciplinary dialogue across national boundaries.Paperbck. 2003. pp. 293 including index.also available as a hardback
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 4 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 4: Pawns that never becam Queens: The Dodecanese Islands, 1912-1924 by Philip Carabott; The Fabrication of the Middle Ages: Roides's 'Pope Joan' by Ruth Macrides; Reflections on Kazantxakis and the Greek Language by Irene Philipppaki-Warburton; Greek Music in the 20th Century: A European Dimension by Guy Protheroe; The Poet as Witness: Titos Patrikios and the Legacy of the Greek Civil War by David Ricks; Greek Attitudes to the Spanish Civil War by Thanasis D. Sfikas.
Mogens Pelt: Tobacco, Arms and Politics; Greece and Germany from World Crisis to World War - 1919-41 ; MODHIS Paperback; 4to; pp342 inc index. A book on the trading relationship between Germany and Greece (curiously the rather important subtitle doesn't appear on the front cover!), in the lead up to WWII. Very interesting especially in view of subsequent events.
P.J. Vatikiotis: Popular Autocracy in Greece 1936-44: A Politcal Biography of General Ioannis Metaxas. ; MODHIS Paperback pp223 inc index.Demy 8vo. A biography of the Greek 'dictator' Metaxas, probably most famous for his 'Allors ce la guerre'(still celebrated as a National holiday in Greece and called Ohi! (no!) day) reply to Mussolini's threat of invasion if the Greeks didn't join the Axis nations, Metaxas was in power from 1936 to 1941. This book chronicles those years and the preceeding ones from 1920-1936 as he worked his way to 'state power'. This is the first major biography of an enormously influentual figure in Greek political history and draws heavily upon Metaxas' own diaries as well as 'evidence of his close friends and associates...'
Thanos Veremis: The Military in Greek Politics: From Independence to Democracy ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp227 inc index. How the military has been a part/interfered in Greek politics in the years between 1830 to 1974.
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
WWII General
'Alors, c'est la guerre' the celebrated words of Metaxas to the Italian ambassodor in response to Mussollini's threat of invasion should the Greeks not join the Axis powers is still celebrated as a national holiday (28th of October), in Greece to this day, where it's called 'Ochi ('No!') Day'...
Erika Kounio Amariglio: From Thessaloniki to Auschwitz and Back: Memoirs of a survivor from Thessaloniki ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp160 The harrowwing and moving story of a survivor of the holocaust. Of close to 50,000 Jewish residents of Thessaloniki in 1943, she was one of the few left alive after being deported by the Nazis to Auschwitz. To think that fewer than 60 years has passed since these atrocities and that historians such as David Irvine make a living out of denying these atrocities happened defies all belief. S.J.
Richard Clogg :Concise History of Greece ; GCSEA01 MGH Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level)
Louis De Bernieres: Captain Corelli's Mandolin ; GRETRA MGL ML paperback £6.99 This is a magnificent novel. Set on Kefallonia during, first Italian, and then German occupation of the island, the author weaves a magical tale of human courage and love against all odds. Essential reading wherever you go but of course even more so on Kefallonia.Caveat Emptor: The author's view of the Greek communists during WWII is not particularly objective! A cursory glance at the selected bibliography at the rear of the book will perhaps explain why. Novel
Rebecca Camhi Fromer: The House by the Sea: Portrait of the Holocaust in Greece. ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp162 inc glossary and a number of b/w photos; 1998; The story of the disgraceful murder of the Jewish community of Salonica (the 'Jerusalem of the West') by the Nazis in 1943)See also 'Athens to Auschwitz and back'. Lest we forget... A.S.
Janet Hart: New Voices in the Nation: Women and Greek Resistance 1941-1964 ; MODHIS paperback 8vo pp313 inc index and a few b/w photos. The awful second world war and subsequent Greek civil war, ironically, had an emancipating affect on a large number of women in Greece as they acquired new found freedoms and became 'national citizens'. Here, Janet Hart describes this process often in the words of the women themselves.
W. Stanley Moss : Ill Met by Moonlight ; GRETRA WW2 CRETE sm8vo paperback £5.95 'Boys Own' stuff with the true story of the kidnapping of the German leader of operations on Crete, General Kreipe, from his unrightful place at the Villa Ariadne to Egypt. Ignores the repercussions that were meted out on Cretan villagers but leaves you with the sort of warm feeling you get when you've just stuck one over on your mortal enemy. Hoorah!
Anthony Rogers. Churchill's folly. Leros and the Aegean. The last Great British defeat of World War two. Today many of the Greek islands of the Dodecanese are popular tourist resorts. However in 1943 they were the scene of the last successful German invasion of the Second World War. The islands had been occupied by the Italians since 1912 but this was to change with the Italian Armistice of September 1943. With the downfall of Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, Winston Churchill seized the opportunity to open a new front in the eastern Mediterranean, thereby adding to the pressure being applied against Germany by the Soviets and at the same time providing encouragement for Turkey to join the Alliance. Rejected by the Americans, it was a proposal fraught with difficulties and, ultimately, one that was doomed to failure. Spearheaded by the Long Range Desert Group and Special Boat Squadron, British garrison troops occupied territory with the assistance of naval forces, but with little or no air cover. They were opposed by some of Germany's finest, including units of the esteemed Division Brandenburg, with ample air and sea support. Men and materiel were sacrificed in three months of operations which ended in a British defeat and with the Aegean under German occupation until the end of the war. The author has drawn on British, German and Italian sources and uses graphic eyewitness accounts to provide a detailed retelling of the struggle for possession of the Dodecanese and the battles for Kos and Leros in particular. His work is illustrated with more than fifty photographs, including many rare images reproduced here for the first time. Author Biography: Anthony Rogers grew up in Malta where he later served in the Royal Marines Commandos. As a freelance photojournalist in the 1980s and 1990s he covered wars on three continents. More recently, an enduring interest in the Second World War has resulted in the publication of Battle over Malta (2000) and the writing of Churchill's Folly. Data Source: hardback. june 2003. with a foreword by the Rt. Hon. The Earl Jellicoe KBE. DSO . MC. FRS
Sarafis Greek Resistance Army pp556 inc inc index + glossary of place names and map at rear.24 b/w photos in middle of book. Sarafis was the commander of ELAS (the Greek army of resistance against German occ upation) from 1942. The book was originally written in Greek in 1946 and was 'surpressed' by the authorities shortly after and the author '.interned and later deported to Makronisos.' A fascinating insight into the workings of the resistance army and the lead up to the Greek Civil War (from a left-wing perspective, which is unusual in its own right).
J.M. Stevens, C.M. Woodhouse & D.J. Wallace : British Reports on Greece 1943-1944 ; MODHIS 1982 paperback 8vo pp214 + maps at rear. Fascinating look at the final years of WWII and the cause and effect of this on the subsequent civil war in Greece. Edited by Lars Baerentzen
Thanos Veremis: The Military in Greek Politics: From Independence to Democracy ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp227 inc index. How the military has been a part/interfered in Greek politics in the years between 1830 to 1974.
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 2; MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp152 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and language. Contents of Volume 2:From the Great Idea to Balkan Union by Procopius Papastratis; The Greek Communist Party 1941-1945: The Internal Debates on Seizing Power by Pericles Grambas; The Greek Civil war 1946-1949 Christophe Chiclet; The Experience of Civil War in the Mountain Villages of Greece by Anna Collard; The Colonels Dictatorship 1967-1974 by Robert McDonald; The Greek-Turkish conflict by Heinz Richter
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History ; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
WWII Crete
See our Cretan WWII pages
The battle for Crete lasted ten days (longer than it took Germany to take France); this bloody campaign (the largest parachute drop in history) and the subsequent revolt against their oppressors by Cretans, British, New Zealanders, Australians and Canadians led Hitler to cancel his plans to invade the Near-East...
Antony Beevor: Crete: The Battle and the Resistance ; GRETRA WW2 CRETE MGH Probably the best all-round perspective of the events up to, including and after the ten days in May 1941. Well written and very informative, the book is based upon interviews with those who took part and historical records.
Alan Clark: The Fall of Crete ; GRETRA WW2 CRETE MGH A view of the battle for Crete leading up to the evacuation of the Allied troops. Typically tacky Efstathiades edition
Theocharis E Detorakis: A History of Crete ; GRETRA BYZ MGH WW2 A history of Crete up to and including the battle of Crete in 1941. A little weak on Minoan history this book is, however, excellent for all the intervening years including Roman, Arab, Venetian and Turkish Rule, autonomy and unification with Greece in 1913. A few spelling mistakes and typos have been made in the translation from the original Greek but I would highly recommend this book. S.J. History of Crete(all periods to 1941)
Murray Elliott : Vasili: The Lion of Crete ; GRETRA WW2 CRETE MGH paperback. Vasili, was the name the Cretans gave to the New Zealander Dudley Churchill Perkins who was captured by the Germans, escaped then wandered around Crete, evading capture for a year before escaping to Egypt on a submarine - this is the story of his immense bravery. Unfortunately, published by Efstathiades, so never mind the quality!
G.C. Kiriakopoulos: Ten Days to Destiny: The Battle for Crete 1941 ; paperback. A very readable history of the battle for Crete. As Hitler himself pointed out, France fell in less time than Crete.
W. Stanley Moss : Ill Met by Moonlight ; sm8vo paperback 'Boys Own' stuff with the true story of the kidnapping of the German leader of operations on Crete, General Kreipe, from his unrightful place at the Villa Ariadne to Egypt. Ignores the repercussions that were meted out on Cretan villagers but leaves you with the sort of warm feeling you get when you've just stuck one over on your mortal enemy. Hoorah!
George Psychoundakis: The Cretan Runner ; Penguin. Introduced by Patrick Leigh Fermor, this is a magnificent book detailing the heroic deeds of the author and his part in the resistance. The 'runner' of the title refers to the elite band of men who knew the Cretan landscape well enough to escape detection by the Germans as they carried messages, smuggled arms and led Allied soldiers through land heavily populated with German soldiers. George can still be seen attending commemorative cemoronies on the island, and will sign the Penguin edition, but NOT the Efstathiades one...I wonder why!
The awful civil war between the Tito-backed Communists and the British and U.S. backed Monarchists is one of the saddest chapters in Modern Greek history...
Sarafis Major General Stefanos (translated by Sylvia Moody) ELAS: Greek Resistance Army pp556 inc inc index + glossary of place names and map at rear.24 b/w photos in middle of book. Sarafis was the commander of ELAS (the Greek army of resistance against German occ upation) from 1942. The book was originally written in Greek in 1946 and was 'surpressed' by the authorities shortly after and the author '.interned and later deported to Makronisos.' A fascinating insight into the workings of the resistance army and the lead up to the Greek Civil War (from a left-wing perspective, which is unusual in its own right).Lars Baerentzen, John Iatrides and Ole Smith (eds.): Studies in the history of the Greek Civil War 1945-1949 ; MODHIS 1987 paperback Demy 8vo; pp324 inc index.Series of articles by expersts such as Nigel Clive, John Iatrides and Keith Legg on various aspects of the Greek Civil War, first presented to a conference of Modern Greek and Balkan studies at the University of Copenhagen in 1984
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece ; GCSEA01 MGH Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level)
Janet Hart:New Voices in the Nation: Women and Greek Resistance 1941-1964 ; MODHIS paperback 8vo pp313 inc index and a few b/w photos. The awful second world war and subsequent Greek civil war, ironically, had an emancipating affect on a large number of women in Greece as they acquired new found freedoms and became 'national citizens'. Here, Janet Hart describes this process often in the words of the women themselves.
David Holton and Jocelyn Pye (eds.): Kampos: Cambridge Papers in Modern Greek Vol 4 ; MODHIS paperback; 8vo; Periodical in book form on Modern Greek issues and language. Contents of Volume 4: Pawns that never becam Queens: The Dodecanese Islands, 1912-1924 by Philip Carabott; The Fabrication of the Middle Ages: Roides's 'Pope Joan' by Ruth Macrides; Reflections on Kazantxakis and the Greek Language by Irene Philipppaki-Warburton; Greek Music in the 20th Century: A European Dimension by Guy Protheroe; The Poet as Witness: Titos Patrikios and the Legacy of the Greek Civil War by David Ricks; Greek Attitudes to the Spanish Civil War by Thanasis D. Sfikas.
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 2 ; MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp152 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and language. Contents of Volume 2:From the Great Idea to Balkan Union by Procopius Papastratis; The Greek Communist Party 1941-1945: The Internal Debates on Seizing Power by Pericles Grambas; The Greek Civil war 1946-1949 Christophe Chiclet; The Experience of Civil War in the Mountain Villages of Greece by Anna Collard; The Colonels Dictatorship 1967-1974 by Robert McDonald; The Greek-Turkish conflict by Heinz Richter
J.M. Stevens, C.M. Woodhouse & D.J. Wallace : British Reports on Greece 1943-1944 ; MODHIS 1982 paperback 8vo pp214 + maps at rear. Fascinating look at the final years of WWII and the cause and effect of this on the subsequent civil war in Greece. Edited by Lars Baerentzen
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History ; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
Like the Civil War this period of Modern Greek history is a shameful episode. The 'Colonels' seized power in a coup in 1967 and held on to it, brutally, for the following 7 years. Their ineptitude led to the division of the island of Cyprus (40% of which is still occupied by Turkish troops), in 1974, which in turn led to the Junta's downfall 8 days after their collusion in the attempted assassination of Cypriot President, Makarios, in the desperate attempt to gain popularity through 'Enosis' (The unification of Greece and Cyprus)...
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece ; GCSEA01 MGH Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level)
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 2 ; MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp152 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and language. Contents of Volume 2:From the Great Idea to Balkan Union by Procopius Papastratis; The Greek Communist Party 1941-1945: The Internal Debates on Seizing Power by Pericles Grambas; The Greek Civil war 1946-1949 Christophe Chiclet; The Experience of Civil War in the Mountain Villages of Greece by Anna Collard; The Colonels Dictatorship 1967-1974 by Robert McDonald; The Greek-Turkish conflict by Heinz Richter
Thanos Veremis: The Military in Greek Politics: From Independence to Democracy ; MODHIS Paperback; 8vo; pp227 inc index. How the military has been a part/interfered in Greek politics in the years between 1830 to 1974.
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History ; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
Some general books on Modern Greek History...
Richard Clogg: Concise History of Greece ; Well written account of Greece, covering Greek history from 1770 to 1990. PAPERBACK This must be read in Greek translation if you're doing the A' Level (see Greek A' level)
Richard Clogg (ed): The Greek Diaspora in the 20th Century; Cloth; pp190 inc index; 1999; A fascinating, scholarly study, edited by Richard Clogg, fellow at St Antony's College, Oxford, and featuring articles by emminent Modern historians based in Britain, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Greece and the U.S, on the Greek Diaspora (settlers in foriegn lands with a Greek heritage - also known as Xeniteia) For a case study on the Cypriot Diaspora, see ' Ethnicity, Class and Gender' Print to demand, though we usually have it in stock
Stathis Gourgouris: Dream Nation: Enlightenment and the Institution of Modern Greece ; MODHIS; Literature; Demy 8vo; paperback; pp303 inc index; 1996; 'Against the backdrop of ever-increasing nationalist violence during the last decade of the 20th century, this book challenges standard analyses of national formation by elaborating on the nation's dreamlike hold over the modern social imigination' '...In order to be Greeks we must entertain the possibility of being Turks...' is a quote from the book. Refreshing attitude indeed. S.J.
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 1 ; MODHIS MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp359 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and laguage. Contents of Volume 1:Greek Literature since National Independence by Roderick Beaton; Katharevoussa (c1800-1974): An obituary for an official language by Peter Mackridge; The Greek Economy by Jon Kofas; Women in Greek Society by Janet Hart; Contemporary Greek History for English readers: An attempt at a critical analysis by Marion Sarafis
Marion and Sarafis and Martin Eve (eds): Background to Contemporary Greece : Volume 2 ; MODHIS 8vo; Paperback; pp152 inc index. Sadly, when it comes to books on Greek history and politics, there is normally either a hidden agenda or a subjective angle. Take the Greek Civil War as an example; interference in Greek politics by the British and Americans was rife; the communists would probably have won the post- war election had they stood. The counter-argument is that there was no way that Britain and America could allow Greece to become communist, democratically or not. This would have meant a communist block (albeit non-aligned, stretching from Siberia in the North to the Coast of North Africa. Most books on Modern Greek history, in the English language, whilst not necessarily right-wing, do tend to pay 'lip-service' to the views and attitudes of U.K. and U.S. military of that time. This two volume work, however, (edited by the late Martin Eve a left-wing publisher and thoroughly nice man and Marion Sarafis a lovely lady and wife of erstwhile ELAS General Sarafis has a few articles which take a more left-wing perspective amongst other articles on literature and language. Contents of Volume 2:From the Great Idea to Balkan Union by Procopius Papastratis; The Greek Communist Party 1941-1945: The Internal Debates on Seizing Power by Pericles Grambas; The Greek Civil war 1946-1949 Christophe Chiclet; The Experience of Civil War in the Mountain Villages of Greece by Anna Collard; The Colonels Dictatorship 1967-1974 by Robert McDonald; The Greek-Turkish conflict by Heinz Richter
Michalis Spourdalakis: The Rise of The Greek Socialist Party ; MODHIS cloth 8vo;pp331 inc bibliography. 1988; Rather out-dated but nevertheless interesting look at the formation and foundation of the Greek socialist party from broad left-wing groups to the current (then and now) government of the Panhellenic Socialist Party of Greece (PASOK).
Thanos Veremis and Mark Dragoumis: Greece: World Bibliographical series vol 17. Revised edition ; MODHIS Cloth (No D/J); pp388 inc index + map;1998; One of the suberb WB series. Whilst not complete (and we should know!) this extremely thorough tome has a listing of most of the books that you're likely to need, on Greece. Individual entries on diverse subject areas such as: Population, Societ and Anthropology, Foriegn Relations, Economy; Politics Poetry and prose etc. the price may be slightly prohibitive but this series are designed for libraries and institutional use; however if you can afford a copy you'll find it packed with information on Greece and the Greeks.
Thanos M Veremis : Historical Dictionary of Greece ; MODHIS Cloth (no D/J); 8vo pp258 inc appendices. 1995. A Subject by subject look at various aspects of Greek life and history, includes art, the economy, the Greek church etc. and is packed with useful information such as ex-presidents and Kings of Greece.
C.M. Woodhouse: Modern Greece: A Short History; MODHIS Paperback; small 8vo; 1998 reprint of 'A Story of Modern Greece' 1968; pp379 inc index. Woodhouse's classic on Modern Greek history, begins at the foundation of Constantinople in 324AD and continues up to 1990. For a thorough understanding of Modern Greek history it's important to learn the background and this book takes you through all of the stages from Byzantine to PASOK.
Some books on the people of Greece...
Juliet du Boulay: Portrait of a Greek Mountain Village ; 8vo; paperback; pp296 inc index + a number of b/w plates within. This welcome 1994 reprint, with additional photos and minor alterations to text, of an original Oxford University Press book, has become a seminal anthropological work on Greece. Detailing the simplicity of life within a framework of highly complicated sociological patterns this book is a must read for those interested in Greek rural life. See also Michael Herzfeld's 'The Poetics of Manhood' A.S.
J.K. Campbell: Honour, Family and Patronage: Astudy of Institutions and Moral Values in a greek Mountain Community. ; MODHIS Anthropolgy; paperback; pp 393 inc index; 8vo 1964/1974; Campbell's seminal work on the Sarakatsani shepherd community of Greece, looking at the '...fragmented...and distrustful society...where inevitably economic and civic cooperation are severely limited...'
Paul Santa Cassia and Constantina Bada: The Making of the Modern Greek Family : Marriage and Exchange in 19th Century Athens. ; MODHIS cloth; pp278 inc index and bibliography; 8vo; '...relying on matrimonial contracts, travellers' accounts, memoirs and popular literature the authors show how distinctive forms of marriage, kinship and property transmission evolved in Athens in the 19th century...'
Jane K. Cowan: Dance and the Body Politic in Northern Greece ; Anthropology; demy 8vo; paperback; pp252 inc index; 1990; 'Valued for there sensual and social intensity, Greek dance-events are often also problematical for participants, giving rise to struggles over position (!), prestige and reputation. Here Jane Cowan explores how the politics of gender is articulated through the body at these culturally central and yet until now ethnographically neglected celebrations in a class divided Northern Greek town.'
Jill Dubisch: In a Different Place: Pilgramage, Gender and Politics at a Greek Island Shrine ; MODHIS Anthropology Theo; Demy 8vo; paperback; pp 311 inc index. Thousand of pilgrims visit the church of the Madonna of the annunciation, on the Greek island of Tinos, each year. Anthropology meets Orthodoxy in the 'highly readable' book which 'offers us the opportunity...to see " in a a different place" the inadequacy of such convential anthropological categories as theory versus data, rationality versus emotion and the observer versus the observed...'
Michael Herzfeld: The Poetics of Manhood: Contest and Identity in a Cretan Mountain Village. ; MODHIS Demy 8vo; paperback pp313 inc index, a few b/w photos within; 1985; Glendi, (a ficticious name for a real village) is used for this superb anthropolical case study by Indiana University Professor, Michael Herzfeld. A detailed, objective and compelling account of the villagers famed '...for their sustained resistance to Turkish Rule (see our Cretan page on our website for more details) and then to German occupation...' A wonderful book. A.S.
Renee Hirschon: .Heirs to the Greek Catastrophe: The Social Life of Asia Minor refugees in Piraeus ; MODHIS; paperback; 8vo pp280 inc index; 1998 reprint of a book originally published by Oxford university press. Compelling study of the Greek intake of Orthodox Christians as part of the 'exchange of population' (ethnic cleansing) by Greece and Turkey as a result of the disasterous Greek attempt to claim back Constantinople in 1922 (the 'Megali Idea'), known in Greece as the 'Catastrophe'. Over a million Greeks were expelled from the Turkish controlled area of Asia Minor and 350,000 Muslims were sent the other way. For a detailed description of 'the Catastrophe' read Mary Dobkins 'Smyrna 1922' and for background read Llewellyn Smith's 'Ionian Vision' Whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, this is a compelling and moving story of the Kokkinia are of Piraeus, important for anyone interested in anthropoligal and gender studies as well as learning a bit more about a neglected area of European history. A.S.
Anastasia N. Karakasidou: Fields of Wheat, Fields of Blood: Passages to Nationhood in Greek Macedonia 1870-1990 ; MODHIS Anthropology; Demy 8vo; Paperback 1997; pp334 inc index; some charts and a few photos within. After much controversey (Cambridge University Press decided to pull-out of publication after threats against their staff and office in Athens, by right-wing extremists) Karakasidou's book was finally published in 1997. This book explores the ethnic complexion of the Greek Macedonia, claiming that the people therin (and here's the crux of the issue behind the bomb threats!) '...ultimately derive from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds...' In other words all Greek Macedonians can't claim to be great,great,great...grandchildren of Philip the Second. That this caused so many proplems is an extraordinary thing! That the book is extremely detailed, well written and interesting as an anthropological treatise in its own right should be reason enough to buy it; that a bunch of facists tried to bully the publisher's to sensor it is further reason to buy it! S.J.Also available in hardback
Peter Loizos and Evthymios Papataxiarchis (eds.): Contested Identities: Gender and Kinship in Modern Greece. ; MODHIS Anthropology; Demy 8vo; paperback 1991; pp259; Contents: PART ONE, GENDER AND KINSHIP IN MARRIED LIFE: Gender, Kinship and Religion: 'Reconstructing' the Anthropology of Greece by Jill Dubisch; Cosmos and Gender in Village Greece by Juliet du Boulay; Silence, Submission and subversion: Towards a Poetics of Womenhood by Michael Herzfeld; The Resolution of a Conflict through song in Greek Ritual Therapy by Loring Danforth; The Limits of Kinship by Roger Just. PART TWO GENDER AND KINSHIP OUTSIDE MARRIAGE: Sisters in Christ: Metaphors of kinship among Greek nuns by A Marina Iossafides; Friends of the Heart: Male Commensal Solidarity, Gender and kinship in Aegean Greece by Evthymios Papataxiarchis: Going out for Coffee? Contesting the Grounds of Gendered Pleasures in evryday Sociability by Jane Cowan; Hunters and Hunted: Kamaki and the ambiguities of sexual Predation in a Grek Town by Sofka Zinovieff; Gender, Sexuality and the Person in Greek Culture by Peter Loizos and Evthymios Papataxiarchis.
James Pettifer: The Greeks: The Land and People since the War. ; MODHIS 8vo; paperback; pp256+a number of b/w plates within; 1993. Whilst this book is oft criticised for minor inaccuracies that occur within, you'll find it difficult to find a better introduction to the geography and people of Greece than this. Pettifer's style is that of a writer rather than an historian and this makes for an excellent read (I got through this in two days!) which will teach the reader about a lot of the idiosynchrasies of the Greek people. Highly recommended.S.J.
Paul Santa Cassia and Constantina Bada: The Making of the Modern Greek Family: Marriage and Exchange in 19th Century Athens. ; MODHIS cloth; pp278 inc index and bibliography; 8vo; '...relying on matrimonial contracts, travellers' accounts, memoirs and popular literature the authors show how distinctive forms of marriage, kinship and property transmission evolved in Athens in the 19th century...'
Charles Stewart: Demons and the Devil: Modern Imagination in Modern Greek Culture ; MODHIS Anthropology; Demy 8vo; paperback; 1991; pp330 inc index - a few b/w photos and plans within. Charles Stewart's excellent and entertaining study of the paradox of a Modern Christian state with medieval/paganistic beliefs known as exotica. How do these 'demons' fit into the framework of christianity and modern thinking.
C. Nadia Serematakis: The Last Word: Women, Death and Divination in Inner Mani ; MODHIS; Anthropology; paperback; 1991; Demy 8vo; pp275 275 inc index + b/w plates towards rear. 'Women's cultural resistance as they weave together diverse social practices: improvised antiphonic laments, divinatory dreaming, the care and tending of olive trees and the dead, and the inscriptions of emotions and the senses on a landscape of persons. things and places...' says the blurb. Despite this purple prose on the back of the book the book itself is a highly readable study ofthe women of this peninsular of the Peloponnese in Southern Greece including examples of Parallel text (English and transliterated Greek) of ritual lament. Fascinating stuff! S.J.
